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Exploring violet scents, need some recommendations

post #1 of 34
10/8/10 at 11:13pm
Thread Starter 
I have long loved violet and want to explore this note more.

Anyone with some loves in their wardrobe? These can be marketed to men or women. I am not gender-tied.

Ajaccio Violets?

Violetta di Parma?

Violettes de Toulouse?

I love violet/leathers and will sample Arsene Lupin Dandy when it is released.
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post #2 of 34
10/8/10 at 11:33pm
Hi, Primrose! My two favorite violet scents are CdG Stephen Jones (bright explosive violet that settles down to the prettiest rendition of the flower that I've experienced) and Keiko Mecheri Genie des Bois (violet with sweet wood gentler and much nicer on me than Lutens Bois de Violette, which I find harsh but many seem to like). I also enjoy the beautiful violet heart in Ormonde Woman and the rather in-your-face violets of Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel. Oh and Ava Luxe Midnight Violet is a rich sophisticated violet blend that is loved by many BNers. I like it quite a bit, as well. I have bottles of all of these except Woman and BdV, so just let me know if you'd like to try them!
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post #3 of 34
10/8/10 at 11:55pm
Of my various violet fragrances, I think the best is AG La Violette. I love the rose note, and it has very good longevity compared to others. On days when that one is just too sweet for me, I may wear Penhaligon's Violetta, which is greener and has a violet leaf note.

I do not find myself wearing my Berdoues Violettes de Toulouse edp very much; maybe I don't care for the sweetness and the raspberry note as much as I thought I would. In fact to my surprise, I find I usually prefer the edt of that fragrance, which I found at a very good price at Marshall's a couple of years ago. Beautycafe.com sells both as well as Violette Cherie (very sweet, cloying for me) and Violette Divine (worth trying if you like SL Bois de Violette; woody and dark.)

YSL Paris Jardins Romantiques, the 2007 Paris flanker, is an easy to wear floral without the loudness of Paris-- notes of violet + rose with mandarin, lilac and grassy notes. Lots of bottles on eBay, not too pricey either.

If you can, give SMN Violetta a try. This is a solidly straightforward violet; if I didn't already own so many, I might buy that. I like it just a bit more than Violetta di Parma.

L'Artisan Verte Violette is not to my liking. Something about it reminded me of Mimosa Pour Moi; maybe their shared cedar note? Whatever it was, I didn't like it.

I have a few others that are discontinued and sometimes I wear them, but I find I'm wearing my roses a lot more than my violets this year.
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post #4 of 34
10/9/10 at 12:00am
Grey Flannel is excellent. A dry, powdey violet (that I've heard is in the vein of L'heure Bleu - haven't tried LB so I'm not sure) is Amouage Opus III, which is also very very good.

Another you should check out is Narciso Rodriguez For Him. A great concrete gray violet scent. Lastly, The Unicorn Spell is excellent if you want your violet cold, green and natural.
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post #5 of 34
10/9/10 at 12:21am
Did you try the Gorilla perfumes samples? I found Ladyboy oddly pleasant, if quirky with that initial banana note. Less fond of Tuca Tuca, another violet.
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post #6 of 34
10/9/10 at 1:07am
Leather and violets? I am waiting on a bottle of Balmain´s Jolie Madame and this is how I expect it to smell... Needless to say - it is a blind swap.
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post #7 of 34
10/9/10 at 3:16am
Don't forget Paris itself, mainly Rose but with a Violet note; and, of course Tresor, violet with rose notes. Both created by Sofia Grossman. And the original Fahrenheit which, in my opinion is better than Grey Flannel.
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post #8 of 34
10/9/10 at 4:55am
David, have you smelled Fahrenheit recently? it is a shadow of its early 90's self due to the restriction of ....some aroma chemical or other...?

Violets - Les Nez The Unicorn Spell is an intense cool "lunar" violet - really good.


Profumo.it - natural violet leaf perfume Alaacho is very beautiful, full, round, smooth


the obvious Green Irish Tweed

Ajaccio Violets is worth a sniff - possibly a bit one dimensional but good when you are really in the mood for a big violet hit which is not too girly.
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post #9 of 34
10/9/10 at 5:11am
A note I most times do not enjoy really (Opus III has lots of it), but I think Le Dix Balenciaga treats them just the way I can really come to love it.
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post #10 of 34
10/9/10 at 6:25am
My favorite violets are Randolph Duke Violet (dry), Borsari Bouquet di Violette 1890 (floral blend), CdG Stephen Jones (weird, in a good way), FM Lipstick Rose (ultra-fem), Keiko Mecheri Genie des Bois (woody), Norma Kamali Violette (intense), Laura Tonatto Eleanora Duse (sweet)
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post #11 of 34
10/9/10 at 6:33am
I love violet too, you already have a bunch of good suggestions above, but here are a few more. Apres L'Ondee and Insolence by Guerlain, Aimez Moi by Caron, Violette by Calypso Christiane Celle, Violet Angel by Thierry Mugler are all scents I have tried and liked. Here's my list I have yet to try. Voile de Violet and Wood Violet by Sonoma Scent Studio, Violet Empire by CB I Hate Perfumes, Violets Cherie and Violettes de Toulouse by Berdoues, Seivohle Violets & Rainwater by Liz Zorn, Violette by Norma Kamali, English Violette by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and lastly Violette #7 by Prada. As you can see I haven't gotten very far on that list, there are always so many new scents to sample. Good luck, I hope you find some violets you like!
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post #12 of 34
10/9/10 at 6:50am
I second Grey Flannel and also Burberry Touch for men is a good one.
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post #13 of 34
10/9/10 at 7:28am
Hey babe !
Violets - I was addicted for a while !
Guerlain Apres L'Ondee - wonderful though short lived .
Ava Luxe Midnight Violet- though discontinued- it's the ultimate gorgeous unisex violet and worth a sample sniff .
Balenciaga Paris- sort of a violet chypre they call it.
Penhaligon's Violetta - lovely stuff !
CdG X Stephen Jones- I didn't do well with it but mostly well loved .
Creed Love In Black - another I didn't do well with but worth a sniff.
Violetta di Parma - a greener violet.
+1 Soivohle ( Liz Zorn )
+1 Grey Flannel
+1 Genie de Bois - good stuff.
+1 The Unicorn Spell - stunning sweet ,very green violet.

Good luck ,Primrose and happy sniffing !
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post #14 of 34
10/9/10 at 7:45am
I add L`Eau au Masculin by Lolita Lempicka ,a woody-green fragrance with a touch of violet
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post #15 of 34
10/9/10 at 9:07am
l haven't tried many violets, but IMHO My Queen by Alexander McQueen is well worth a sniff! Long lasting & l often get compliments on this one.
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post #16 of 34
10/9/10 at 9:20am
Ava Luxe: Midnight Violet - warm, woody, animalic violet. My all-time favorite! Sadly, discontinued.

Guerlain: L'Apres L'Ondee parfum extrait - subtle, orris-y, anisic violet. Second favorite. Also discontinued.

Comme des Garcons: Stephen Jones - steely, cold, aldehydic violet. Third favorite. Very hit and miss but worth sampling.

Though I can't stand either, Creed's Love In Black and Malle's Dans Tes Bras are weird and unique.

If the idea of a creamy, Lutenesque violet appeals, Sonoma Scent Studio's Wood Violet should be on your to-try list.

Violetta di Parma smells exactly like those Parma Violets candies. Wearing it for the first time today. Neither like nor dislike, but the smell is fun and nostalgic.
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post #17 of 34
10/9/10 at 9:23am
I should have mentioned The Unicorn Spell. Nice! But you have to like the opening of fresh green beans (I do). :-)
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post #18 of 34
10/9/10 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 
Oh, my! Thank you ALL for the fine suggestions.

I already have Jolie Madame, which I adore, and also YSL Parisienne and Grey Flannel. I also like Aimez-Moi.

This list bears watching and I will have to choose one by one and sample.

Thank you all AGAIN, fellow Basenoters!
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post #19 of 34
10/9/10 at 9:00pm
Ooh, good thread, alot of seasoned posters responded with some great ideas!! I want to try some of these, too.
I tend to like violet as a supporting role, not a lead, but I love seeing how artists interpret this scent.

A popular one right now is Violette in love by Parfums de nicolai. I like hte peppery boost in the opening, and hte drydown is very 'green violet'. Curious to see if you'd like that one.
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post #20 of 34
10/9/10 at 9:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BayKAT View Post

I tend to like violet as a supporting role, not a lead....

I have come to the same conclusion.
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post #21 of 34
10/10/10 at 12:15am
N'aimez que moi Caron (very expensive)
Lipstick Rose Malle
Violette De Nicolai
Stephen Jones Comme des Garçons
Violette précieuse Caron (discontinued but you can find on ebay)
Bois de violette and Féminité du Bois Lutens
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post #22 of 34
10/10/10 at 12:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BayKAT View Post

A popular one right now is Violette in love by Parfums de nicolai. I like hte peppery boost in the opening, and hte drydown is very 'green violet'. Curious to see if you'd like that one.

That sounds nice, BayKAT!
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post #23 of 34
10/10/10 at 3:33am
A favorite violet fragrance of mine is Caron's Violette Précieuse.
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post #24 of 34
10/10/10 at 5:00am
One of my faves that hasn't been mentioned is Keiko Mecheri Cuir Cordoba - soft suede-y violet/iris. And I have to stick up for Creed's Love In Black - balls to the wall violet, opens with such a strong hit of sweet parma violet that only the massive dose of sneezycedar can keep in check. Great fun!
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post #25 of 34
10/10/10 at 8:38am
Haunani, you can try Violette in Love, and I'll try Stephen Jones!!! heehee!
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post #26 of 34
10/10/10 at 9:05am
There's a lot of good fragrances already mentioned, but I'd add BPAL's Brusque Violet - "Violet petal, violet leaf, osmanthus, orris, mint, and opoponax"
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post #27 of 34
10/10/10 at 3:07pm
For some reason there is nothing on this in BN directory.

Here's all I could find on short notice:

Bvlgari pour Femme for Women Perfume Collection
A pure and sensual women's fragrance, with an original note of Jasmine Tea.
The refined bouquet dominated by violet, iris and orange blossom is followed
by base notes of vetiver and musk revealing clarity, serenity and sensuality.
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post #28 of 34
10/11/10 at 4:18pm
Thread Starter 
Kumquat! I totally forgot about this! Thank you for adding this. I have the EDT of this and it slipped my mind. (I have the mini and keep them separate from my main bottle wardrobe.)

I ordered a bottle of Violetta di Parma and find it a nice, cream violet. Not a heckuva lot of sillage but long-lasting. Not in-your-face like most of the things I wear! LOL!
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post #29 of 34
10/11/10 at 9:31pm
Almost everything I could think of has already been mentioned, but I'd also like to come to the rescue of Creed's Love In Black. It's just ridiculously violet with rose and a sort of wet green feel to it.

I also liked L'Artisan's Verte Violette, and I thought it was a good thing that it dried down to the same heart as Miosa Pour Moi, which I enjoy.

I'll also put in a vote for Armani Privé Cuir Améthyste, especially if you like violet and leather together.
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post #30 of 34
10/13/10 at 9:57am
I love the violet/heliotrope combination in Penhaligon's Night Scented Stock.It's just so ethereal.
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post #31 of 34
10/14/10 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you again for the help!
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post #32 of 34
10/14/10 at 7:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rogalal View Post

I also liked L'Artisan's Verte Violette, and I thought it was a good thing that it dried down to the same heart as Miosa Pour Moi, which I enjoy.

I noticed that common note to the two as well, which is actually why I don't like Verte Violette!
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post #33 of 34
10/17/10 at 10:53am
I really like Heeley's Cuir Pleine Fleur/Fine Leather for the soft leather and violets. It's great on me on a cold rainy Sunday like today :-) Heeley is available at Barneys or luckyscents.

Here are some reviews on basenotes
http://www.basenotes.net/ID26129199/reviews.html
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post #34 of 34
10/17/10 at 11:56am
Thread Starter 
Thank you all, again! And wecome, Sans Serif. I tried Cuire Plein Fleur and it did not last on me. Maybe I will try again some other time
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